Board OKs lot for fire station

The Planning Board has approved a proposal to subdivide two parcels of land at 50 E. Hollis St. where Robbins Auto Parts is located. Officials hope one of the parcels will be used to build a new fire station to replace the Arlington Street station, which is about 75 years old.

Project engineer Paul Hayner said the plan calls for the creation of two lots on what is now one long, thin piece of land.

One lot, which would be the site of the new fire station, covers 30,064 square feet. The other, which would continue to be used by Robbins Auto Parts, would be 31,062 square feet in size.

According to Hayner, the lot proposed for the 12,000-square-foot fire station would have frontage on Hudson Street, but officials have proposed discontinuing that street to Commercial Street to provide the station with access and frontage on East Hollis Street.

Assistant Fire Chief Brian Morrissey said aldermen already have approved a $500,000 appropriation to buy the land.

The project has not yet gone out to bid for architectural design, Morrissey said, so the cost of the new station is not known.

He said he hopes aldermen will approve funding for the new facility in the 2006 fiscal year.

The project will require approval from the Zoning Board of Adjustment.